Brass Rods and Sections—Compositions, Properties and Standards

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Brass rods and sections account for virtually all of the wrought bar material used in engineering and industry including round rod, hexagon, square bar, flat bar and hollow sections.

The variety of cross section and the size ranges available for brass rods and sections means these product forms represent the largest range of material grades of any of the brass containing standards. Within the four BS EN standards listed below you will be able to find a brass for virtually every engineering sector.

The standards contain different types of brass including binary brasses with just copper and zinc, leaded brasses and higher alloyed grades, such as manganese bronzes and aluminium brasses. This gives designers options for a wide range of mechanical, physical and fabrication attributes – excellent machinability, very good hot or cold formability, enhanced mechanical properties and corrosion resistance.

As a guide, the alpha brasses (containing a minimum of 63% copper) generally offer a good cold workability. The leaded brasses are commonly used for machinability, with the 3% lead-containing brass being the free-machining grade which sets the standard for all other copper alloys. The addition of aluminium, tin and arsenic enhances corrosion resistance, and addition of aluminium, manganese, tin and nickel enhances strength and wear resistance.

The table below is designed to assist with the selection of grade for brass rods and sections by providing compositions, mechanical properties and some general remarks.  The table also includes EN brass grades previously included in BS 2874 ‘Specification for copper and copper alloy rods and sections (other than forging stock)’ to allow for completeness and continuity.

• EN 12163 ‘Copper and copper alloys—Rod for general purposes’
• EN 12164 ‘Copper and copper alloys—Rod for free machining purposes’
• EN 12167 ‘Copper and copper alloys—Profiles and rectangular bar for general purpose’
• EN 12168 ‘Copper and copper alloys—Hollow rod for free machining purposes’

Compositions given in the tables below are based on the EN designation. Composition ranges may be outside those of previous BS specifications, therefore compliance should be checked before assuming suitability for applications. Note that not all elements listed as impurities are shown here. For the full chemical composition you should refer to the standard or the Copper and copper alloys. Compendium of compositions and products PD CEN/TS 13388.

For more detail, the appropriate standard(s) should be consulted. Visit our page with details of standards and links to the BSI shop.